Niobrara National Scenic River
NE
Park Alerts (1)
About Niobrara National Scenic River
With a little something for everyone, the Niobrara National Scenic River is a destination for crossing adventures off your bucket list. Most popular for river recreation, you can float the Niobrara River on a canoe, tube, or kayak as a beginner and have a blast. Hiking, biking, and wildlife watching keep our visitors busy.
Oh! And we haven't even told you about the waterfalls yet.
Things To Do
Bike the Cowboy Trail
The Cowboy Trail is a hiking and biking trail created from the historic bed of the railroad track that passed through Valentine, NE, and the Sandhills. Many hikers and bikers covet the views of the Niobrara National Scenic River from the 148 foot historic bridge, not far from Valentine.
Float the Niobrara River
Experience the beauty of the Niobrara National Scenic River up close and personal by floating the gentle waters through six ecosystems, past waterfalls, and under historic bridges. A gem in the Sandhills of the Great Plains.
Shoot Winter Photography at Fort Falls
See the Niobrara River in the light of a winter lens. Photographers can find winter scenery, natural phenomena's, wildlife, canyons, waterfalls, and the perfect angles for those golden hour photos in many places along the Niobrara River, but Fort Falls is one of our favorites.
Hike to Fort Falls
This scenic 1.0 mile hike highlights the 45-foot-tall Fort Falls and the shores of the Niobrara National Scenic River on the Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge. With free parking, this hike can be shortened to few the Fort Falls and the River's Banks in less than 0.25 miles.
Available Activities
Weather
Summer (June-August): highs - low 80s to low 100s; lows - 50s to 60s, with occasional thunderstorms and associated strong winds. Moderate dry winds are common in the summer. 8.
3" is average summer rainfall. Winter (November-April): Average highs 20-30s, average lows 0-10s with 5.5"/month average snowfall.
Spring (April/May) and Fall (September/October) have cooler temperatures: average highs 60-70s, average lows 30-40s with 7.3" average rain/snowfall.
Getting There
Most visitors start their trip in the city of Valentine, Nebraska. Valentine is 76 miles south of I-90 (Murdo, SD Exit) on Hwy 83; or 130 miles north of I-80 (North Platte, NE Exit) on Hwy 83.
Plan Your Visit
Let Roamze help you plan the perfect trip to Niobrara National Scenic River with AI-powered itineraries.
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Floating and paddling standard hours
Most of the river itself is open 24 hours a day, with the exception of the river that flows through Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge. The river in that stretch is open from sunrise to sunset. Please use caution: because the NPS does not own the land, different sites and private businesses have their own hours. Please ensure that you are following individual landowner regulations when you launch, take out, or visit individual areas.
